Condemed by a Kiss
by shadow-n-the-dark
Summary: She's killed four people so far, just because of a kiss. A trip to Hogwarts seems like a way to leave the horrors behind her. but things like murder don't just stay behind.
1. Default Chapter

Ch. 1: Death

the wind whipped through the graveyard, making the trees moan and sigh. The eeriness of this was lost to the girl in the black dress. She didn'tnotice when the wind blew her long, wheat-blond hair out of place, or the dirt sticking to her wet cheeks. All she saw was a grave that hadn't been there yesterday; a freshly dug hole that she knew was her fault.

Chris wiped her eyes on the sleeve of her black dress. The falcon on her shoulder shuffled slightly, leaving three holes on the shoulder of her gown.

'Why did Kent have to come along?' Chris wondered in a mixture of sadness and resentment. If she had never met him, she wouldn't be in this dead place again, surrounded by rows and rows of cold stone. 'I shouldn't have done it. I knew what was going to happen and i ignored it. Stupidity, that's what it was. Stupidity and foolishness.'

"Christina!" a voice called, breaking the silence. A tall, graceful woman with short hair the same color as Chris's, a proud face, and cruel, stony grey eyes crossed the graveyard briskly. "Come, Christina. We're leaving. You've lingered here too long and I'm growing bored with it.

Chris's eyes flashed as she looked at the woman who gave birth to her. She was pretty sure Lisa was her mother. After all, they looked exactly alike except for their eyes (Chris's were an icey sky blue) and the fact that their different lives had somehow mad the exact same faces reflect different things.

Lisa looked as if her face were chiseled from stone. She was proud, cruel, and defiant. Her face, with hte hard lines around her mouth and eyes, reflected those characteristics. Chris, on the other hand, had somewhat softer characteristics. The pride was still there, but it wasn't as easy to see on her face as it was on Lisa's. Instead of the cruelty that showed on Lisa's face, Chris looked as if she had known, and understood, pain, but still found time to laugh. There was sadness in her eyes, but also determination. It was odd, how two faces completly alike could show such different things.

"Get away from me, Lisa," Chris hissed, "You just get away."

"I'll find that rather inpossible, seeing as i've come to take you home."

"I hope you burn in the lowest pits of hell."

A wicked grin fleetingly crossed Lisa's face. "My, aren't we feeling a bit testy today."

"How would you expect me to be?" Chris snapped, "He's the third, Lisa! If that doesn't give me reason to hate you, I don't know what does!"

"So it's hate now, is it?"

Narrowing her eyes, Chris whispered, "It's always been hate."

"Yet you continue to go home with me every day, and after every funeral." Cruel pleasure danced in her eyes.

Something in Chris snapped. "You evil witch! You enjoy this! You love creating this pain!"

"I must admit that the answer is yes. However, the thing I enjoy the most is seeing your reaction when you realize that it's your own hand that does the killing."

Chris began to cry softly again "It's not my fault."

"It's entirely your fault." Lisa replied hautily, "Do you deny that this death was, like all the others, a murder commited by you?"

Chris didn't reply. Instead, she stared intently at a worm crawling through the overturned dirt of the fresh grave.

"There, you see? Your fault. We both know it, now get in the car"

"No!" Chris's eyes flashed angrily as she looked up to stare at Lisa, "No, I won't."

Lisa looked at her incredilously.

"I am so sick of your bull," Chris said quietly, "When you moved us after It happened, I came because I was scared. I didn't want to get caught, and risk Azkaban. Every time i started to question you, though, you did It again, to prove you had power over me, but this is too far. I'm sick of the death, and I'm sick of you. No. I will not go home with you."

"Fine" Lisa spat, "You run away. You passed your Apparation test, I bet you think you're a regular old adult now. But remember this, _dear_, You will never escape. No matter where you go, I will always be there. So dont- slip-up."

Chris spat on her shoe and disappeared with a crack.

Seconds later she appeared in the Leaky Cauldron America adn made her way to a stool at the bar. She couldn't believe what she had just done. Sure, she had thought about running away millions of times, but she had never done it until now, if you could call it running away.

In truth, she was terrified of Lisa, and it was that fear that had kept them in the same house for so long. But now she had left. There was still three weeks until school started again, and this was Chris's last year. She was seventeen and had passed her Apparation test so legaly she could live without her mother. But all the same, she found the idea of living alone oddly frightening.

Involuntarily, a shudder passed through her.She knew Lisa was right. No matter where she went, Lisa could still effect her. She could still-

"What'll you have, Chris?" The voice of Kyra, the bartender, jolted Chris from her thoughts.

"Oh, uh, just a butterbeer i guess."

Kyra smiled, looking at her through thick brown bangs. "You sure? You look like you could use something stronger."

Those were Chris's thoughts exactly, but she couldn't risk anything alchoholic. "I've got work in half an hour. I can't show up completly wasted."

Nodding, Kyra handed her a bottle of butterbeer. "That's probably for the best then. Come back here afterwords if you need a pick-me-up. You look like you've had a rough day."

Chris nodded and sipped her butterbeer. So far her day had been a downward spiral. It could only got worse since in half an hour she'd have to face her boss.

There was a pop as someone else Apparated in. Chris jumped, caught unaware, and twisted to see who had come in. A very curvy teenager with dyed red hair and heavily made up hazel eyes sat in a stool next to Chris without so much as aa glance at her. "Get me a firewhisky, bartender!" She snapped, running bright yellow, perfectly shaped nails through her hair.

"Well, you certainly haven't lost any of your natural charm, Chamez."

Shawna Chamez turned and looked at her then, sneering. "Oh, its you, Morgan" her eyes scanned Chris's black dress. "Been to another funeral have you?" Her voice sported a heavy New York accent and dripped with bored hatred. "What poor Muggle was stupid enough to get close to you this time? Maybe i should shadow you and warn anyone within two feet that you're cursed."

"That seems a bit too caring for you," Chris replied, standing up, "Thanks for the drink, Kyra. Do you have a free room?"

"I got plenty, you need one?" She set down Shawna's firewhisky."

"Just 'til school starts, thanks. I'll pay you when i get back from work."

Kyra nodded and Chris walked out of the back door and went to the entrance to Dragonside Street. The second she entered the hidden wizarding world, a dragon pounced on her. She fell backwards, with the dragon on her chest and Athena screeching in the air, to land on the Muggle side of the Leaky Cauldron America's wall.

Groaning, she tried to get up, but the weight on her chest kept her down. "Get off, Star," she muttered. The dragon obeyed, but only after she had nuzzled Chris' face with her hard reptilian snout. Standing shakily, Chris observed the dragon that had 'attacked' her. She was beautiful; a pale, silvery blue color with lilac eyes and wings of the purest silver hanging loosely at her side.

Starsong wasn't like most dragons. She was one of the ten of the first dragons ever born. Because of this, she was called a First Brood. Something strange happened when the First Brood were born; something that didn't happen with any other dragons. But nobody knew what. Every dragonologist in the world had studied it at one time or another, but no one had ever been able to find a reason why those eight were so different.

The First Brood were all still babies, even though they were born thousands of years ago. They were social as well- something no other dragon in the world was. Every chance they got, they were around people, which was why Starsong, called Star, stayed at Dragonside Street, hence the name. Any dragon of the First Brood could talk telepathically. Whether this was an ability they were born with, or one they acquired over the years, no one knew.

_Chris came! _ Star's voice purred in Chris' head as she rubbed catlike against her legs.

Smiling slightly, Chris picked up the dragon, "Yes, Chris came, just like Chris comes everyday at this time."

_Star missed you._

"I missed you too. Tell me what you've done today."

Chris didn't concentrate on Star's words- only her voice. It always reminded her of crystal bells, or a light rain on a calm lake. It had a cool clarity to it that Chris found refreshing.

_What will Chris do today?_

"Oh, I don't know. Going through the barrier would probably be a good start.

Star chortled happily and jumped from Chris' arms. She grabbed the hem of her dress in her pointed teeth. _ Then Chris needs to come._ As the dragon pulled her through to wall, Chris was able to forget about Lisa, and the funeral she had just come from, if only for a little while.

A/N: and there you have it. The first chapter of this… well… seeing as I don't know what to call it, I guess I had better just say this story. R&R, sing my praises, or just throw flamers. I honestly couldn't care less. Have a nice day all!

Gwinevera


	2. Someday

Chris got to work early to check on her animals. Star had decided that this so-called 'work' would be dreadfully boring and left to roam Dragonside Street. Chris always felt a sense of loss when the tiny dragon left, but at least she had her pets to look forward to. 

What she loved, more than anything in the world, was animals. That was the reason she worked in a Menagerie. She was capable of caring for all her animals as well. More so than many people in the wizarding world. Because of her skills, she was allowed a small room in the back of the Menagerie, and the Ministry called on her when they wanted someone to work on small pet projects in Magizoology that they couldn't bother their regular employees with.

She walked through the back door and was greeted with such an array of animal noises none had heard its like since Noah's Arc. Six Clabberts, one Crup, two Diricawls, one silenced Fwooper, two Jarvies, one Jobberknoll, eight Kneazles, twelve Mokes, one Murtlap, eighteen Plimpies, two Puffskeins, nine Salamanders, one Streeler, and four Bundimuns were in an assortment of cages, perches, and tanks, each magically adapted to the creature's needs. An Erkling in the corner, that she had for research purposes only, cackled at her.

"Shut up, you" she murmured, walking over to her bright green Fwooper. She stroked her head. "Hey, Margarita. How's life?" the bird nuzzled her head against Chris' hand.

"Is that you, Morgan?" a voice from the main store barked.

Chris rolled her eyes. "Yes, Mr. Anderson."

"Get out here, girl! We've got a mob of first years wanting pets for school!"

"Let me feed the animals first, then I'll be right there!"

"Screw your animals, Morgan, get out here now!"

Chris opened the door a crack and poked her head out. "Mr. Anderson, I say this with the utmost respect, but bite me. I've got sixty some hungry animals in here, and if I don't feed them soon, they'll get loud. So unless you want all your customers scared off by the racket they'll surely make, you'll let me feed them."

A vein bulged on her boss's forehead. He shoved his choppy black hair out of his eyes and glared at her for a few moments.

"Go to hell, bastard, I'm fucking starved! Feed me damn it!"

Chris grinned at her younger Jarvey. "I think you should let me feed them, before Mimic gets more- talkative."

Mr. Anderson glared through the door to where he imagined the Jarvies would be. (he was about two yards off.) "Ten minutes, you hear? That's all you got! Ten!"

Chris closed the door before he chose to rant on about 'uncooperative employees'. "So, who's hungry?" A chorus of squawks, splashes, barks, flashes, and very rude words (thrown her way by the Jarvies) greeted her words.

She grinned again and began to slowly work her way around the room, stopping to talk to each of her animals, minding her language around Mimic and Lil' Echo. She was just about to change out of her funeral attire and into her work robes when a letter arrived.

_Miss Morgan,  
The Ministry of Magic requests your involvement on an ongoing research project that, due to a sudden outbreak of violent Kelpies, our regular employees could not continue. If you accept, the Ministry will send you two subdued Nogtails in hopes that you may discover how it is that the previously mentioned demon brings blight to a farm. We will, of course, be sending you three albino bloodhound as well, in case the Nogtails escape. We expect your reply no later than noon tomorrow. Also, the male Re'em that you requested is at the breeding ranch, waiting to be introduced to the female. We at the Ministry would like to wish you good luck at breeding them. Remember- noon tomorrow.  
-Eleanor Rodriguez Department of Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures_.

"Nogtails, huh?" Chris muttered, stroking Athena. "I've never handled a demon before. Sounds fun, do you think?"

The falcon looked at her in disgust and flew off to join the Jobberknoll, Fay. Chris laughed. "Are you that against them? Well, I suggest you stay away from them."

Athena called out in alarm. Chris understood her perfectly. After all, the two had been inseparable for eight years now, ever since Lisa moved them to America. And after that little potion explosion in second year, well, Athena seemed to know exactly what Chris said. "Yep. That means that I'm accepting. Go steal some parchment form Anderson's desk, would you?" She stared at the girl for a moment before letting out a call of defeat and flying off, returning in a few moments with everything needed to write a letter.

"Morgan! Its been fifteen minutes! Get out here of you're fired!"

"Hold on, Mr. Anderson! I'm just writing a letter to the Ministry!" Hastily, she scribbled a few lines accepting the offer and thanking them for the Re'em. Rolling in up she offered it to her female Diricawls (neither she nor her mate had a cage, seeing as it wouldn't hold them). "Could you take this to the Ministry for me, Ursula?"

The Diricawl nodded and disappeared in a puff of feathers, the letter in her beak.

The door opened as Chris was donning her work robes. Tommy, a boy who had just turned sixteen and had chosen the Menagerie as the place for his first summer job, entered. He was awkwardly tall with large hands and feet. His light brown hair hung limp, covering much of his eyes and acne covered forehead. He also seemed to be cursed with clumsiness.

"Chris! Mr. Anderson is really, really mad. He says-" the Erkling cackled at him. He paled and, instead of walking in a straight line to get to Chris, went in a large arc, to stay as far away from the creature as humanly possible. "-says he's really gonna fire you this time. Says he's gonna chuck all your animals out on the street."

Chris sighed and pulled her long hair out of the robe it had been caught under as she put it on. "All right, all right. Lets not get drastic now." she strode confidently across the room and past the Erkling with Tommy in tail.

"There you are!" Mr. Anderson yelled, "Morgan! Help those kids over by the owls. Graniul- clean out those Streeler cages!" Tommy groaned and slowly walked over to the cages, tripping over his robe along the way.

Chris shook her head and walked over to the corner by the window, devoted to owls. A group of seven first years had gathered there and were staring at the birds in wonder. "Hey. You guys want one?"

A plump girl with red pigtails nodded. "Mm-hmm. But only he can afford one." She pointed to a boy, tall for eleven, with long black hair and a complexion that hinted Indian ancestry. (A/N: I'm sorry if I offended anyone by using that instead of Native American, but I hate being politically correct, seeing as I'm not a politician, and I'd rather use the word Indian. Sorry again if I offended you, its not a direct shot in the back or anything.)

Chris looked at him. "So, which one do you want?"

He shrugged. "I dunno. Which one is best?"

"Well, I like them all. Most people prefer the snowy though- that's the white one over there on that high perch. But if you-" there was a yelp across the room. Tommy was over by the Streeler cages, cradling his hand. Chris frowned. "Excuse me." she quickly went over to her co-worker. "What's wrong?"

Tommy's eyes had slightly glazed over. "I just- went to pick her up, and she dropped that ooze on my hand."

"That's because you scared him. Tommy, you can't just go in there all gung ho and he-man. Just because he's an animal doesn't mean you don't have to respect him. You just have to be gentle. Here. Watch."

She put her hand in the glass cage and began to stroke the colorful shell. It changed from dark red to bright yellow as she did. She tipped his side onto one of her hands and, still stroking him with the other, lifted him slowly from one cage to another.

"There, you see? It's that simple." She patted his shoulder, "Now you get to clean the tank."

Tommy, however, wasn't preparing to clean. He was looking at her in wonder.

She shifted uncomfortably. "What?"

"You're so good with animals, but with people, I'm gonna be real frank with you, you suck. Why?"

Chris considered the answer as she watched a few rats play jump rope with their tails. "I guess it's because people are flawed. Imperfect. They're evil and deceiving and do things only for their own gain or pleasure. They don't care if what they do hurts someone else, so long as they enjoy whatever they do. Animals though, they can't help but be what they are. They act how they were created to and never do things simply to hurt of be spiteful. They're just so much- purer that people."

What Tommy said next wasn't something that you'd expect a fumbling sixteen year old with zits all over his face to say. In fact, it wasn't something that you'd expect anyone but a therapist, and a damn good one at that, to say. But the lanky young man standing next to Chris said it, and when he did so, it probably wasn't to be wise, or to sound smart. He probably said it only because that's what was in his sixteen year old brain at the time.

He looked at her as if seeing her for the first time. "I hope that whoever made you see humanity in such a way is punished. I hope that- someday- you might be able to look past whatever hurt you and see the good in people. 'Cuz there's a lot of it, Chris. The world's not just the rotting hellhole that you seem to see. I hope that someday you realize that."

A/N: ok, I thought it only fitting to end the chapter on that note. Its short, yes, but that truly is some good advice, and its advice I just couldn't follow with more story. And for any of you people out there without Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, just click the little next page button and you'll be able to figure out what all the animals I mentioned were. (except rats and owls- I hope you know what they are already.)

Author's Advice for the Chapter: if you see a dancing hippo, get on the first rocket ship outta here, cuz it's a sign of the Apocalypse.


	3. Reference

**Bundimun**: Bundimuns are found worldwide. Skilled at creeping under floorboards and behind skirting boards, they infest houses. The presence of a Bundimun is usually announced by a foul stench of decay. The Bundimun oozes a secretion which rots away the very foundation s of a dwelling in which it is found.  
The Bundimun at rest resembles a patch of greenish fungus with eyes, though when alarmed, it will scuttle away on its numerous spindly legs. It feeds on dirt. Scouring charms will rid a house of an infestation of Bundimuns, though if they have been allowed to grow too large, the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures should be contacted before the house collapses. Diluted Bundimun secretion is used in certain magical cleaning fluids. 

**Clabbert**: The Clabbert is a tree dwelling creature, in appearance something like a cross between a monkey and a frog. It originated in the southern states of America, though it has since then been exported worldwide. The smooth and hairless skin is a mottled green, the hands and feet are webbed, and the arms and legs are supple, enabling the Clabbert to swing between branches with the agility of an orangutan. The head has short horns and the wide mouth, which appears to be grinning, is full of razor sharp teeth. The Clabbert feeds mostly on small lizards and birds.  
The Clabbert's most distinctive feature is the large pustule on the middle of its forehead, which turns scarlet and flashes when it senses danger. American wizards once kept Clabberts in their gardens to give early warnings of approaching Muggles, but the International Confederation of Wizards has introduced fines which have largely ended this practice. The sight of a tree at night full of glowing Clabbert pustules, while decorative, attracted too many Muggles wishing to ask their neighbors why they still had their Christmas lights up in June.

**Crup**: the Crup originated in the southeast of England. It closely resembles a Jack Russell terrier, except for the forked tail. The Crup is almost certainly a wizard-created dog, as it is intensely loyal to wizards and ferocious towards Muggles. It is a great scavenger, eating anything from gnomes to old tires. Crup licenses may be obtained from the Department of Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures on completion of a simple test to prove that the applicant wizard is capable of controlling the Crup in a Muggle-inhabited area. Crup owners are legally obliged to remove the Crup's tail with a painless Severing Charm while the Crup is six to eight weeks old, lest the Muggles notice it.

**Diricaw**l: The Diricawl originated in Mauritius. A plump bodied, fluffy feathered, flightless bird, the Diricawl is remarkable for its method of escaping danger. It can vanish in a puff of feathers and reappear elsewhere.  
Interestingly, Muggles were once fully aware of the existence of the Diricawl, though the knew it by the name of 'dodo'. Unaware that the Diricawl could vanish at will, Muggles believe that they have hunted the species into extinction. As this seems to have raised Muggle awareness of the dangers of slaying their fellow creatures indiscriminately, the International Confederation of Wizards have never deemed it appropriate that the Muggles should be made aware of the continued existence of the Diricawl.

**Erkling**: the Erkling is an elvish creature which originated in the Black forest of Germany. It is lager than a gnome (three feet high on average) with a pointed face and a high-pitched cackle that is particularly entrancing to children, whom it will attempt to lure away from their guardians and eat. Strict controls by the German Ministry of Magic, however, have reduced Erkling killings dramatically over the last few centuries.

**Fwooper**: The Fwooper is an African bird with extremely vivid plumage. Fwoopers may be orange, pink, lime green, or yellow. The Fwooper has long been a provider of fancy quills and also lays brilliantly patterned eggs. Though at first enjoyable, Fwooper song will eventually drive the listener to insanity and the Fwooper is consequently sold with a Silencing Charm upon it, which will need monthly reinforcement. Fwooper owners require licenses, and the creature must be handled responsibly.

**Jarvey**: the Jarvey is found in Britain, Ireland, and North America. It resembles an overgrown ferret in most respects, except for the fact that it can talk. True conversation, however, is beyond the wit of the Jarvey, which tends to confine itself to short (and often rude) phrases in an almost constant stream. Jarvies live mostly below ground, where they pursue gnomes, though they will eat moles, rats, and voles.

**Jobberknoll**: the Jobberknoll (northern Europe and America) is a tiny blue, speckled bird which eats small insects. It makes no sound until the moment of its death, at which point it lets out a long scream made p of every sound it has ever heard, regurgitated backwards. Jobberknoll feathers are used in Truth Serums and Memory Potions.

**Kneazle**: the Kneazle was originally bred in England, though it is now exported worldwide. A small catlike creature with flecked, speckled, or spotted fur, outsized ears, a tail like a lion's, the Kneazle is intelligent, independent, and occasionally aggressive, thought if it takes a liking to a witch or wizard, it makes an excellent pet. The Kneazle has an uncanny ability to detect unsavory or suspicious characters and can be relied upon to guide its owner safely home if they are lost. Kneazles have up to eight kittens in a litter and can interbreed with cats. Licenses are required for ownership as (like Crups and Fwoopers) Kneazles are sufficiently unusual in appearance to attract Muggle interest.

**Moke**: The Moke is a silver-green lizard reaching up to ten inches in length and is found throughout Britain and Ireland. It has the ability to shrink at will and has consequently never been noticed by Muggles. Moke skin is highly prized among wizards for use as moneybags and purses, as the scaly material will contract at the approach of a stranger, just as its owner did; Moke-skin moneybags are therefore very difficult for thieves to locate.

**Murtlap**: The Murtlap is a ratlike creature found in coastal areas of Britain. It has a growth upon its back resembling a sea anemone. When pickled and eaten, these Murtlap growths promote resistance to curses and jinxes, though an overdose may cause unsightly purple ear hair. Murtlaps eat crustaceans and the feet on anyone foolish enough to step on them.

**Nogtail:** Nogtails are demons found in rural areas right across Europe, Russia, and America. They resemble stunted piglets with long legs, thick, stubby tails, and narrow black eyes. The Nogtail will creep into a sty and suckle an ordinary sow alongside her own young. The longer the Nogtail is left undetected and the bigger it grows, the longer the blight on the farm into which it has entered. The Nogtail is exceptionally fast and difficult to catch, though if chased beyond the boundaries of a farm by a pure white dog, it will never return. The Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures (Pest Sub-Division) keeps a dozen albino bloodhound for this purpose.

**Plimpy**: the Plimpy is a spherical, mottled fish distinguished by its two long legs, ending in webbed feet. It inhabits deep lakes where it will prowl the bottom in search of food, preferring water snails. The Plimpy is not particularly dangerous though it will nibble the feet and clothing of swimmers. It is considered a pest by me people who deal with it by tying its rubbery legs in a knot' the Plimpy then drifts away, unable to steer, and cannot return until it has untied itself, which may take many hours.

**Porlock**: (A/N: this one hasn't been mentioned yet, but it will be sooner or later.) The Porlock is a horse-guardian found in Dorset, England, and in Southern Ireland. Covered in shaggy fur, it has a large quantity of rough hair on its head and an exceptionally large nose. It walks on two cloven feet. The arms are small and in in four stubby fingers. Fully grown Porlocks are around two feet high and feed on grass.  
The Porlock is shy and lives to guard horses. It may be found curled in the straw of stables or else sheltering in the midst of the herd it protects. Porlocks mistrust humans and always hide at their approach.

**Puffskein**: The Puffskein is found worldwide. Spherical in shape and covered in soft, custard-colored fur, it is a docile creature that has no objection to being cuddled or thrown about. Easy to care for, it emits a low humming noise when contented. From time to time a very long, thin, pink tongue will emerge from the depths of the Puffskein and snake through the house searching for food. The Puffskein is a scavenger that will eat anything from leftovers to spiders, but it has a particular preference for sticking its tongue up the nose of sleeping wizards and eating their bogies. This tendency has made the Puffskein much beloved by wizarding children for many generations and it remains a highly popular wizarding pet.

**Re'em**: Extremely rare giant oxen with golden hides, the Re'em are found both in the wilds of North America and the far East. Re'em blood gives the drinker immense strength, though the difficulty in procuring it means that supplies are negligible and rarely found for sale on the open market.

**Salamander**: The salamander is a small fire-dwelling lizard that feeds on flame. Brilliant white, it appears blue or scarlet depending upon the heat of the fire in which it makes its appearance.  
Salamanders can survive up to six hours outside a fire if regularly fed pepper. They will live only as long as the fire from which they sprang burns. Salamander blood has powerful curative and restorative properties.

**Streeler**: the Streeler is a giant snail that changes color on an hourly basis and deposits behind it a trail so venomous that is shrivels and burns all vegetation over which it passes. The Streeler is native to several African countries, though it has been successfully raised by wizards in Europe, Asia, and the Americas. It is kept as a pet by those who enjoy its kaleidoscopic color changes, and its venom is one of the few substances known to kill Horklumps.

**Winged Horse:** Winged horses exist worldwide. There are many different breeds, including Abraxan (immensely powerful giant palominos), the Aethonon (chestnut, popular in Britain and Ireland), the Granian (grey and particularly fast) and the rare Thestral (black, possessed of the power of invisibility, and considered unlucky by many wizards). As with the hippogriff, the owner of a winged horse is required to perform a Disillusionment Charm upon it at regular intervals.


	4. Invation

A/N: ok people, hey, howdy, how ya doin' and all that jazz. I really don't feel like chattin' today, so, ONTO THE STORY! YAY!

Ch. 3- Invitation

Chris left work with Tommy's words ringing in her ears. She'd never admit it to anyone- least of all herself- but his words had hit her hard. She didn't want to be The Depressed Chick Who Hates the World. If she thought about it though, she had a right to see things that way. After all she'd been through, seeing the evil in things was second nature. She shook her head and stroked Athena absentmindedly. She tried not to dwell on all the shitty things infesting the world, known commonly as human actions, but she supposed that she just sort of… did.

After work, Star was nowhere to be found, so Chris, desperately needing something to do, Apparated to the ranch where the Ministry said the new Re'em was waiting. The female was roaming around the barn, eying it with unease. Chris assumed that was where the male was being held. She approached it quickly, anxious to see what he looked like. She patted Montana, the female Re'em named after the state she was found in, then opened the barn door. The male towered over her, his golden coat glittering in the dim light. He was constantly fidgeting, and when she opened the door, he backed up until he hit the wall.

Chris went after him cautiously; glad to have a job that would distract her from all the events of the day. She held her hand out and gently touched the side of his face. He jerked his head backward, his eyes rolling wildly. Chris snorted. It figured; out of all the Re'ems in the world, the Ministry had to send her the coward.

Crooning softly to it, she reached up again. She stroked his nose for a bit until her got used to her, then moved to one side of him, inspecting his coat. Montana nosed at the door, trying to push it open. Chris looked at her and grinned, "Not yet, honey." She took out her wand and locked the door. "Sorry, but I need to get him calm."

After about an hour of grooming and calming the Re'em, she decided it would be safe to introduce him to Montana. "Come on, big guy," she murmured, walking backward toward the door, leading the Re'em. They both stepped out into the blinding sunlight and blinked rapidly. Chris stuck two fingers in her mouth and whistled. Montana came lumbering over.

She stood with them for a few minutes, making sure they wouldn't attack each other, then walked over to the wooden fence bordering the ranch to watch. The male reminded her of Paul Bunyan's ox, except he was gold, not blue. She smiled slightly, "Babe. That's your name. They seem to be getting along well enough, do you think they'd be fine alone?" Athena nodded. "Good, then I'm going to ride the horse." The bird looked at her in disgust and flew off her shoulder onto one of the posts, gripping it tightly. Chris laughed and swung over the fence, tying her long hair back. "Watch them for me, then."

She walked across the large ranch until she got to the 'non magical' area. In other words, it was where the horses were kept. Erik, the Ministry's stable boy, was leaning against the door of the barn, chewing an enormously large wad of gum. His sun bleached blond hair hung down in front of dull blue eyes; eyes that eerily never missed a single thing. From the moment Chris had entered his line of vision, he had been watching her, yet his attention was somehow on the numerous horses in the field as well.

Of those horses, only four of them were Chris's. She was proud to say that the only winged horse in the bunch belonged to her. As she moved beside Erik, she realized that there should have been five of her horses in the field and quickly scanned over them, trying to figure out which one was missing. "Where's Emily?"

Erik jerked his head toward the barn door, "She 'ad 'er foal this mornin'. Jessie wasn' gettin' on with 'im too well, so I stuck 'em in there 'til you got here."

"Him?"

"Yep. Little grey boy."

"Grey…" Chris murmured, (**A/N: I know absolutely nothing about horses, so I know nothing about whether they inherit their parent looks. For my purposes, they do.)** her only grey horse was Steel, her winged Granian. "Does he have-?"

Nodding, Erik moved the gum to the other side of his mouth and replied, "Two liddle wings, pretty as ya please, sittin' right there on 'is shoulders."

Chris began to beam, "Can I see him?"

Erik shrugged, "They're yer horses. Go 'ave a peek." He opened the door for her, and she stepped into the dark stabled. Dust drifted down from the rafters as she made her way to one of the corners. Emily and her newborn son lay there. The foal was asleep against his mother; his grey coat looked strange against her chestnut one. Two feathery wings protruded from his back, so small they were comical. Chris stood at a distance, watching the sight in front of her with awe. "Poor little thing", she mused out loud, "Will you ever be able to fly with those?"

Emily began to look at her reproachfully and Chris sighed. "Fine, I'll leave you two alone. I'm coming back in when I think of a name for him though. Gotta Christian him, ya know." With one last look at the newest edition to her ever growing menagerie, she reluctantly walked back out into the bright sunshine.

"He's beautiful," she told Erik as she slumped against the door.

He nodded, somehow managing to appear to give her his full attention while his eyes were on the horses. "I never seen 'is like."

"You think he'll ever fly?"

Erik shrugged and blew a massive bubble, "Hard t'say, really. Ya only got Steel when 'e was full grown. Neither of us ever knew 'ow tiny 'is wings were when 'e was a baby. 'Sides, the liddle un's got a 'orse mom. No tellin' if that'll keep 'im grounded or not"

"He'd be beautiful in the air."

Her companion nodding, moving his gaze to the cloudless sky, as if imagining the sight. "What're ya gonna name 'im?"

"I dunno. Guess I'll think about it. Hey, can you saddle up Steel? I'd do it myself, but I gotta go check on the Re'ems. Then I'll be back to ride."

"No problem."

"You rock, Erik." With his assurance, she walked back across the ranch, looking at the fence until she saw the form of Athena on a post. "Where are they?" she asked, joining the bird, who looked pointedly at Chris's left. The forms of the two Re'ems were on the horizon, grazing peacefully. "There haven't been any problems between the two?" Athena flipped her wings once in way of saying, "No"

"Good. I guess-" in a puff of feathers, her male Diricawl appeared, clutching a thick, midnight blue envelope with gold writing. She grabbed it, recognizing it as a school letter. "Thank you, LeSal. What do you want, a tip? Shoo, I'll give you a treat tomorrow." He disappeared again, leaving Chris to read the letter. Besides the usual school books list and airplane ticket, there was also another letter, written on the blood red parchment that belonged to Jastella, the headmistress. Curious, she read over the flowing script.

_Dear Chris,_

_First let me congratulate you on your coming of age. I am truly proud of you, my dear. Remember not to have too much fun Apparating, though, wouldn't want you to splinch yourself. On a more official note, because of you outstanding grades, you have been selected to participate in a student exchange program. If you so choose, you may attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry for your final year of schooling. Their term starts on September first. You will be expected at the Leaky Cauldron on the last day of August. The Knight Bus can take you there if there is any question as to its location. From there, a taxi will take you to King's Cross Station where you will board the Hogwarts Express. You may, of course, come back for your holidays. If you choose not to participate, simply get on the plane as you usually do. Yet again being personal, I think it would be very good for you to do this. Make your choice, dear, and no matter what, I'll see you at graduation. Have fun!_

_Jastella_

_Headmistress of Goldenmoon Academy for the_

_Magically Gifted._

Chris reread the letter twice, staring at it with an open mouth. Hogwarts. As in _Europe_ Hogwarts? She hadn't been there in seven years. To go back… but things were complicated. Could she do it? Could she really? Deciding this was a matter that couldn't be solved on the ground, she Apparated back to the stables and dazedly wandering over to Steel, barely acknowledging Erik's presence. Hopping onto the saddle, she let the earth fall away. She allowed the thoughts to fly loose with the wind that was puling at her hair.

The opportunity was truly unexpected. She had gotten used to Goldenmoon. In fact, she rarely thought of what her future could have been nowadays. However, with that one letter, it was if a dam had broken loose in her mind; all her thoughts came pouring back. If Lisa hadn't moved them, if It hadn't happened, Chris would be going to Hogwarts anyway. She had grown up in Hogsmead, continuously sneaking onto school grounds, pretending she was a student and watching Quidditch matches from afar. To go back home would be wonderful, but it would also bring back unwanted memories. Memories she had spent years building a wall around.

When she lived in Hogsmead, her life was constantly teeter-tottering. One minute she was happy, the next she was screaming in pain. Ever since she was five, her mother had put her in a wizarding primary school. Its hours weren't very long, though, so to avoid her mother, Chris would either stay with her friends or wander down to the Three Broomsticks where she was known and loved.

She preferred staying with her friends; one in particular, because she was always welcome at his house amongst his siblings. He was one of the two best friends she had ever had. The other was only around when Lisa was throwing one of her Death Eater parties. His dad was having and affair with her. Both Chris and her friend knew that. They would hide at the top of the stair and watch their parents. Later, he was also involved in It… but her thoughts were straying toward painful memories.

At the Three Broomsticks, she was always welcomed warmly and given a free butterbeer. Sometime around the age of six she had happened to be there during one of the school's Hogsmead trips. She had begun to talk to the teachers, and being so young, told them everything. She could remember their faces quite vividly. Hagrid, Flitwick, Sprout and Minerva. Minerva. Of all the teachers, she had taken the biggest liking to Chris. When Chris had told them about her abusive mom and her hard-hitting friends, Minerva had been outraged. She wanted to go find Lisa and tell her "a few things that Chris had better cover her ears when she started to say them." Chris had begged her not to, fearing the punishment she would later receive.

As the years went by, Lisa became more and more physical, and Chris and Minerva formed so deep a bond that little happened in Chris's life without Minerva knowing it. When she had seen Chris with an acid scar on her arm (she was nearly ten at the time) the professor had offered to take Chris to the castle and raise her there. Chris had declined for one reason- her father. He was the best man she had ever known. Kind, generous, and thoughtful, Chris loved him. How he had ever ended up married to Lisa was still a mystery to her. He was a Healer at St. Mungo's and was the main reason Chris wasn't completely covered in scars.

A few months after Minerva's offer, It happened. Her father was gone- murdered. The night It happened, Chris had been terrified. She ran all the way up to Hogwarts, leaving her friend, Lisa, and Lisa's lover at the house. Because she only knew a small portion of the grounds and none of the castle itself, she was lost until one of the younger teachers found her. She begged to talk to Minerva, and when she began to sob harder, the professor acquiesced.

She told Minerva everything (She was the only person the Chris _did_ tell) and the woman was about five seconds away from keeping Chris and raising her when Lisa arrived. Chris never knew how she found her, but within minutes of Lisa's arrival, she and Chris were gone from Europe. They started a new life in the States.

At first, Chris couldn't stop thinking about home. Her thoughts came less and less over the years until, eventually, they stopped.

Steel began to descend. As he was never a good lander, Chris was rudely interrupted from her thoughts as he touched the ground, hopped forward a few steps, then jolted forward quite suddenly. His rider slid off and hit the dusty ground with a dull thump. "Ow," Chris moaned, "Steel you ignorant ass!"

The horse didn't seem to mind. Rather, he tucked his wings behind his back where Chris previously sat and began to nose the ground.

"Could you have landed any farther from the stables?" She made to get back on his back, but he refused to open his wings. Sighing, Chris magically tethered them together and began to walk back toward the stables. It was a long walk, and it was quickly getting dark, but she didn't care. It offered good thinking time.

Go to Hogwarts. Go back home. See her old friends. Return to her old house. Talk to Minerva again. Those were all plusses in participating in the exchange. On the other hand, she'd have to face It again. Maybe meet a few of her primary school enemies. Be bombarded with memories that could quite possible break her heart.

But she had those her too didn't she? The memories? Hadn't her heart already gone through the shredder? What with Kent, Dillon, and Adam, hadn't she had enough? Hadn't she seen the graveyard enough times? She'd have to face It again anyways, and if she was across and ocean, she might be free of Lisa for a little while…

It was that last thought that made up her mind. She was going back. For better or worse, she was going home.

A/N: and there you have it. Another chapter perfectly executed… not really, but I can allow myself a nice pat on the back for my ego once in a while, cant I? listens to the silence as her audience refuses to answer her. Fine then! I hate you too! Now, my lovely hated readers, R&R and I'll give you a free copy of _The Apocalypse: It's coming. Are YOU ready to fight the Furbies for your soul?..._ Or maybe I'll just give you a cookie and another chapter. Your choice.


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